Airlines dealt setback in merger-lawsuit trial

DALLAS (AP) A court-appointed official says American Airlines and US Airways shouldn't get to know the identity of all the people that the government interviewed before trying to block the airlines' proposed merger.

The airlines also want to know what those people told the Justice Department.

The court official, called a special master, recommended Thursday that the federal judge hearing the case reject the airlines' request.

American and US Airways were close to completing their deal and creating the world's biggest airline when the Justice Department filed an antitrust lawsuit in August. The government says the merger will limit competition and lead to higher prices. A trial is scheduled to start Nov. 25 in Washington.